Iran’s tourism authority has set medical tourism as a strategic priority, rolling out plans to upgrade infrastructure, streamline regulations, standardize services, and digitize patient journeys aiming to rank among West Asia’s top five destinations within five years.
Tehran: Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpey, the deputy for tourism at Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, announced that medical tourism is a key pillar of the country’s forward plan. The ministry aims to position Iran among the top five medical-tourism destinations in West Asia over the next five years.
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According to Bandpey, Iran’s competitive advantages include advanced medical capabilities, renowned specialists, and natural therapeutic assets such as hot springs and diverse climates. The roadmap focuses on three main axes:
He emphasized moving beyond traditional models toward smart, transparent service delivery, noting ongoing projects to digitize processes and build integrated platforms for medical-tourism offerings.
Bandpey also called for greater private-sector investment in hospitals, clinics, and health centers, pledging regulatory facilitation and incentives to accelerate development. On human capital, the ministry together with the Ministry of Health and sector bodies is preparing joint training packages to raise the skills of frontline staff, since a medical tourist’s experience spans the entire journey from entry and guidance to accommodation, transport, and even nutrition.
Bandpey concluded that achieving the five-year target will require inter-agency coordination, private-sector support, and modern technologies to deliver a seamless, high-quality experience for international patients.